Stay Alive
by AdminElrohir
Summary: Chapter One: (It hurts. Oh by Anubis, does it hurt.) A focus on Ahkmenrah during the groups encounter with the Xiangliu. Spoilers for NatM3.


After watching Secret of the Tomb today, I felt like I needed to write this...So I invented the "5 minute One Shot Challenge." I give myself 5 minutes to just write- and post what I end up with! If you enjoy it, let me know in the reviews!

_ If YOU would like me to write more one shots, leave a challenge/idea in the reviews, and I shall do my best to complete it!_

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

_All Mistakes are due to the time limit!_

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><p>It hurts.<p>

Oh by Anubis does it _hurt_.

He can feel his skin slowly tightening on his cheeks, cracking as it does. He can _feel_ his muscles as they deteriorate, as if some sort of scarab is scuttling through his very veins, feasting on him.

A sudden sharp pain in his side seems to knock the air out of him, and he stumbles backwards in shock.

He gasps for air, unable to breathe. His arms flail as he looks for something, _anything_ to grab a hold of. He feels strong arms wrap around him as his legs give out, trying to support his weight and keep him from crashing to the ground. Distantly, he can hear Theodore yelling, and Larry trying to hush him.

Without any warning he is lowered to the floor and he curls up against the wall, one hand grasping for something to pull him up, the other clutching at his side in a feeble attempt to stop the pain.

He's panicking, even though he knows he shouldn't- he's well aware that it won't help the situation. If anything, it'll just make things worse.

But he is panicking- because he's scared. He's scared because if he dies again he'll be separated from his parents forever….His parents who he hasn't seen for almost sixty years. And that's what scares him the most. That he won't be able to say goodbye to them. That he's going to die just a few rooms away.

He can hear shouting, hissing, roaring- and laughter? He wants to get up, fight with his friends (and that slightly idiotic knight). He wants to just s_tand_, but he can feel his strength sapping away. His vision is changing, his eyesight blurring as his eyes start to deteriorate.

Suddenly there is someone beside him, whimpering in fear. A small part of him identifies that it's the Hun, his friend. His friend who is usually so unafraid and fierce… is literally whimpering in fear, afraid of this snake monster that seeks to destroy them.

And so despite his fading vision and his slowing heartbeat, he reaches out- wrapping an arm around the Hun in an attempt to comfort him.

He feels the Hun bury his face against his shoulder, feels him shaking. Something in the back of his head reminds him that this is not the real Attila- this is one of the side affects of the Corroding Tablet.

All he wants to do is curl up, to just _scream_. But he is a Pharaoh- and above that, he is a friend. And for that reason, he pushes his own fears away and does his best to comfort and protect his friend.

And then, suddenly he feels life flowing back through his veins once more. He takes a shuddering breath, closing his eyes as his strength returns. Just like that, Attila is gone and the Pharaoh finds himself left of the ground to regain his composure. Shakily he climbs to his feet, reaching up to adjust his crown.

"Are you Okay?" Someone asks him. He turns his head and looks right into the eyes of the night guard.

_No, _he wants to reply. _I'm dying. _But he knows that Larry is already just as terrified as he is. So instead he takes a deep breath, and gives a small smile.

"Yes, I am fine." He assures him. He appreciates that the Night Guard doesn't ask again, choosing to instead move on to check the damage that has occurred.

He knows that this will be the last time they mention it- at this point in time, the fact he is still alive and able to speak is enough to keep the Night Guard happy. And so they continue on towards Egypt at a quicker pace than before. The entire group is on edge, and he can sense the fear from each and every one of them.

He won't mention it to the others just yet, but he knows that they don't have long left. The pain in his side is still there, reminding him that at any moment his Tablet could corrode some more, sending them all in to chaos. But all he can do is keep moving, and not tell them about his fears.

And hope that they find his Father soon.

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><p><em>So, what did you think?<em> :)

An update for _A Slip of the Mind _will be coming soon!

-AdminElrohir


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